Missing Middle Housing

Single-Family Neighborhood

Seattle Planning Commission Calls for New Residential Density

A recently published white paper written by the Seattle Planning Commission calls on the city to follow in the footsteps of the city of Minneapolis and the state of Oregon.

January 22, 2020 - The Urbanist

Raleigh

Missing Middle Housing, Parking Reform Under Consideration in Raleigh

Elections have consequences, and a new, younger City Council in Raleigh is ready to implement progressive planning and land use reforms.

January 16, 2020 - News & Observer

Nebraska City

'Missing Middle Housing Act' Would Allow More Housing Options in Nebraska Residential Areas

The ranks of states considering or taking steps to override local control to allow new density in the residential neighborhoods of cities has swelled once again, this time with a state senator in Nebraska pitching statewide legislation.

January 13, 2020 - 1011 Now

Sprawl

Modest Densification, a Strategy to Alleviate the Housing Crisis?

Incremental changes to density on single-family parcels could boost the nation’s housing stock without dramatic impacts at the neighborhood level.

January 2, 2020 - Curbed

Maryland Suburbs

Missing Middle Housing Studied in Suburban Virginia

Almost 90% of Arlington County land zones for residential use is reserved for single-family homes. Would adding missing middle housing in the form of duplexes and triplexes keep the price of housing in a more manageable range?

December 22, 2019 - WAMU

Portland Condo High-Rise

Effect of Portland's 'Better Housing by Design' Package Depends on Parking Reforms

The difference between a proposed RM2 zoning designation with off-street parking requirements, versus with the parking requirements is massive, according to this article.

October 15, 2019 - Sightline Institute

Durham City Park

New Density Planned as Affordable Housing, Growth Management Tool in Durham, North Carolina

The City Council of Durham, North Carolina has approved changes to the city's master plan, first approved in 2005, to allow new forms of density in residential neighborhoods proximate to the city's downtown urban core.

September 6, 2019 - News & Observer

Ottawa Missing Middle Video

Zoning for the Missing Middle in Cartoon Form, With Wizards

The city of Ottawa, Canada has produced another goofy animated video. This one explains its efforts to encourage more Missing Middle multi-unit urban housing.

July 24, 2019 - City of Ottawa via Youtube

Willamette River

Oregon Residents Wondering What Will Come as Statewide Zoning Reform Takes Effect

House Bill 2001 didn't ban single-family houses altogether, just single-family zoning, so change will take time, and money. There are a lot of unknowns for residents to grapple with when it comes to statewide upzoning.

July 24, 2019 - The Oregonian

Orenco Station

What Made It Possible for Oregon to End Single-Family Zoning?

Factors beyond political chance played into Oregon's recent decision to legalize missing middle housing. One key point: the state was already halfway there.

July 14, 2019 - City Observatory

State capital building

History Made: Oregon Legislature Ends Single-Family Zoning

A bill that seemed like it could be a casualty of a bitter partisan feud managed to squeak under the wire. With Governor Kate Brown's signature, single-family zoning will be prohibited throughout the state of Oregon.

July 1, 2019 - The Oregonian

Los Angeles Bungalow Court

On the Massive Carbon Savings of Gentle Density

A thought experiment compares the carbon impact of three new single family homes with the same block if it contained a duplex, a triplex, and a fourplex.

June 13, 2019 - Sightline Institute

UC Berkeley and North Berkeley

Berkeley to Study Missing Middle Housing Options for Single-Family Residential Neighborhoods

The city of Berkeley, famed for its radical left politics in the 1960s, is now considered a bastion of anti-development obstructionism. Those politics could be changing, however.

February 28, 2019 - The Bay City Beacon

Astoria Oregon

Local Governments Weigh-in on Oregon's Statewide Upzoning Proposal

Local planners and elected officials are expressing their opinions about Oregon's House Bill 2001, which would allow fourplexes on single-family residential units around the state.

February 14, 2019 - The Oregonian

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Op-Ed: Seattle Merely 'Inching Forward' on ADUs

They're a good start. But compared to similar policies in cities like Portland and Vancouver, Seattle's new policies around accessory dwelling units may be lackluster.

October 12, 2018 - The Urbanist

Texas Townhomes

California Bill Seeks to Facilitate 'Missing Middle' Housing

Affordable housing developers are increasingly asked to build middle-income units, but can't afford to do so.

April 10, 2018 - Mercury News

Texas Townhomes

'Missing Middle' Housing and the Expected Millennial Exodus

The Washington Post examines "missing middle" housing as a solution for retaining millennials in cities and interior suburbs. There is still some question, however, about whether millennials are actually leaving urban areas.

December 12, 2017 - The Washington Post

Portland

Portland to Consider New Residential Infill Regulations

The city of Portland's new residential infill ordinance would reduce the number of 1:1 demolitions—which often convert older, affordable homes into expensive McMansions.

October 11, 2017 - Portland for Everyone

Texas Townhomes

Missing Middle Housing: An Austin Case Study

The "missing middle" of housing is a concept familiar to many planners, but it's still probably unknown to most of the public. A story for Austin's NPR station could be an indication that the missing middle is entering the public consciousness.

May 26, 2017 - KUT

The 'Missing Middle' Affordable Housing Solution

Karen Parolek discusses the 'Missing Middle' that is too often overlooked in discussions about affordable housing.

January 13, 2017 - Modern Cities

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